# Munchkin 4: The Need for Steed ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2005 - **BGG Rating**: 6.5 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 3-6 (Best with: 4) - **Duration**: 90 min - **Weight**: 1.86 / 5 - **Designers**: Steve Jackson (I) - **Artists**: John Kovalic, Shaenon K. Garrity - **Publishers**: Steve Jackson Games, ADC Blackfire Entertainment, Black Monk, Buró, Delta Vision Publishing, Edge Entertainment, Galápagos Jogos, HaKubia, Hobby World, Kaissa Chess & Games, Pegasus Spiele, PS-Games, Raven Distribution, Smart Ltd, Ubik - **Categories**: Card Game, Expansion for Base-game, Fantasy, Fighting, Humor - **Mechanics**: Dice Rolling, Hand Management, Open Drafting, Take That, Variable Player Powers ## Verdict If you already enjoy the chaos and humor of Munchkin, this expansion with steeds and hirelings is a full plate for more laughs and betrayals!More cards for chaosHilarious and useful steedsHirelings add strategyTypical Munchkin humorRequires the base gameHigh language dependencyMore of the same if you don't like itFOR GENRE FANS ## Description Get ready for more chaos and fun with Munchkin 4: The Need for Steed! This expansion adds 112 brand-new cards to the already chaotic Munchkin universe, keeping the promise of killing monsters, stealing treasure, and, of course, hilariously backstabbing your friends. The big new feature here is Steeds, those epic companions every self-respecting adventurer needs. However, we're talking about Munchkin, right? So expect not only Dragons and Tigers, but also the Giant Mutant Gerbil (yes, you read that right!), a Chicken, and the mysterious Big Joe, who could be a Steed or a Hireling. Speaking of Hirelings, this expansion brings a bunch of them! They function similarly to "Sidekicks" and "Minions" from other sets, serving to give that extra boost to your adventures. Use their special abilities, sacrifice them without mercy to save yourself, or even better, use them to ruin a buddy's plan. After all, that's how a true Munchkin acts! Take good care of your steeds, whether they're a "Steed Dragon," a "Velociraptor," or even a "Steed Chicken," because you never know which one will be the key to victory amidst so many battles and betrayals. This expansion injects more chaos and strategy, with new ways to interact and, of course, more reasons to laugh (or cry) at the typical Munchkin twists and turns. ## How to Play 1. Game Objective This expansion set, Munchkin 4: The Need for Steed!, emphasizes two special types of cards: Hirelings and Steeds. It is designed to be used with the original Munchkin and, likely, one or more of the previous expansions. The overall objective of the Munchkin game is to be the first to reach Level 10 by defeating monsters and collecting treasures, but this manual does not detail the complete victory condition of the base game. 2. Setup Refer to the manual for details on this section. 3. Gameplay Flow Refer to the manual for details on this section. 4. Actions and How to Play Hirelings Types of Hirelings: Hirelings, Sidekicks (from Star Munchkin and Super Munchkin), Mooks (from Munchkin Fu), and Minions (from Munchkin Bites!) are all treated the same for these rules. Where Found: In this set, Hirelings are found in the Door decks. Playing a Hireling: You may play a Hireling at any time, even in combat, as long as you only have one Hireling in play at a time. Drawing a Face-Up Hireling: If you draw a Hireling face-up, you may put it into your hand if you cannot (or do not want to) put it into play. Discarding a Hireling: You may discard a Hireling at any time. Hirelings as Items: A Hireling is not an Item unless it has a price. You may only trade Hirelings that have a value in Gold Pieces. Hireling Sacrifice: If you lose a fight, instead of rolling to Run Away, you may discard a Hireling and everything it is carrying. You automatically escape all monsters in the fight, even if the monster card says escape is impossible. If someone was helping you in the fight, YOU decide if that person also automatically escapes or must roll to escape. Hirelings That Increase Abilities: Some Hirelings give extra Hands or allow you to carry an extra Big or Complex Item. In this case, the Hireling has no Item; it just increases your own abilities. If something happens to the Hireling, your Items are unaffected. Hirelings That Carry Items: Other Hirelings, such as the Elf Hireling in this set, can specifically carry and use an Item themselves; in some cases, a Hireling can use an Item that you cannot use for yourself. The Items a Hireling carries count for you and are affected by Traps, Curses, and Bad Stuff as if you were carrying them. If your Hireling sacrifices itself to save you, any Items it was carrying are lost. If your Hireling is killed, you loot the body and get the Items. If your Hireling is taken by a Trap/Curse, by Bad Stuff, or by a change of loyalty, the Items go with it! Hirelings and Monster Bonuses: If you have the Dwarf Hireling and face a monster that gets a bonus against Dwarves, it gets the bonus against you, unless you discard the Hireling. A monster that has a penalty against Dwarves has that penalty against any munchkin with a Dwarf Hireling. The same is true for any monster that has a bonus or penalty against any Race, Class, or Sex. Bad Stuff and Hirelings: Bad Stuff does not affect Hirelings unless it specifically mentions them. Ignore your Hireling's Race, Class, and Sex when determining what a monster does to you. Hireling Sex: A Hireling's sex does not matter, except with monster reactions or unless you want to give it an Item that is male-only or female-only. In that case, the Hireling is of the sex, if any, shown on its card. If you want to change a Hireling's sex, you need the Potion of Sex Change. Hirelings and Cheating: A Cheat! card can be used to give you an extra Hireling, or to allow a Hireling to carry an Item it normally couldn't. The Cheap Hireling cannot carry anything. Steeds Where Found: Steeds are found in the Door deck. Steed Limit: No player may have more than one Steed, except by using a Cheat! card. Steeds as Items: Steeds are Items and follow normal Item rules. Anything that affects an Item can affect a Steed. Steeds and Big Items: Steeds carry themselves. A Steed is "Big," but it does not count against the number of Big Items you can carry (in fact, some allow you to carry more Big stuff). The "Big" designation on Steeds is to control which Traps and Curses affect them, and to keep Thieves from pocketing them and walking off. Items for Steeds: There are some Items that specifically enhance Steeds. Steeds cannot use Items unless the Item card specifically says so, and "item enhancers" do not affect Items that enhance Steeds. Steed Run Away Bonus/Penalty: If a Steed has a bonus or penalty to Run Away, this overrides the rider's bonus. An Elf normally has a bonus to Run Away, but he has a penalty if he is riding the Turtle! If your Steed gives you a penalty to Run Away, you may discard the Steed before rolling to run away. You do not suffer the penalty, but the card goes to the discard pile. Treating Steeds as Monsters: A player who draws a Steed face-up may choose to treat it as a monster. In this case, its Level is equal to twice the combat bonus at the top of the card, and defeating it is worth one Treasure and one Level. Monster Enhancers may be played on Steeds that are being fought as monsters, and have their normal effects. The Bad Stuff for any Steed attacked as a monster is "Lose a Level." 5. End of Game and Scoring Refer to the manual for details on this section. 6. Tips for Winning Carefully consider when to play a Hireling, as you can only have one in play at a time. Playing it at the right moment can be crucial, especially for sacrifice in combat. Take advantage of your Hireling's sacrifice ability. If you are in a losing fight, discarding a Hireling to automatically escape can save your Level and Items, even from monsters with impossible escape. Be aware of Steeds' Run Away bonuses and penalties. If your Steed gives you a penalty to Run Away, you can discard it before rolling to avoid the penalty, but you will lose the card. ## FAQ ### Do I need the base Munchkin game to play this expansion? Yes! Munchkin 4: The Need for Steed is an expansion and requires the base Munchkin game to be played. ### How many players can play with this expansion? The expansion maintains the player count of the base game, which is 3 to 6 players. ### Does the game become much more complicated with this expansion? The overall complexity doesn't drastically increase, but the new Steed and Hireling cards add more tactical options and unexpected situations, maintaining Munchkin's lighthearted and chaotic spirit. ### What is the average playtime with this expansion? The playtime usually stays around 90 minutes, similar to the base game, but it can vary depending on player interaction. ### What are Steeds and Hirelings? Steeds are equipment that can give you bonuses (like moving faster or fighting better), while Hirelings are characters that help you in combat or with other abilities, but they can be sacrificed or betrayed. ### Is this expansion good for someone who has never played Munchkin? It's not recommended as a first experience. It's ideal for those who already know and enjoy the base game, as it adds more content and variety without changing the chaotic and humorous essence. ## Price Comparison ### Best Offers in Brazil - **Amazon**: R$ 99,16 (https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B07CJXF6MK?tag=bgbot26b-20&linkCode=as2) - **Facil Shopping**: R$ 62,22 (https://www.facilshopping.com.br/produtos/munchkin-4-montaria-arredia-expansao-galapagos/?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Meca dos Jogos**: R$ 78,74 (https://www.mecadosjogos.com.br/munchkin-4-montaria-arredia-expansao-p1233?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Alquimistas dos Jogos**: R$ 80,81 (https://www.alquimistasdosjogos.com.br/jogos/munchkin-4-montaria-arredia-expansao?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Taverna Real**: R$ 80,99 (https://www.tavernareal.com/tabuleiro/munchkin-4-montaria-arredia-expansao?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Brechó Lúdico**: R$ 81,48 (https://brecholudico.com.br/produto/munchkin-4-montaria-arredia-expansao/?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on Compara Jogos: https://www.comparajogos.com.br/item/munchkin-4-montaria-arredia ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 22.58 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=2084568&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/146/munchkin-4-the-need-for-steed?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com